by L. A. Banks
Ayana rested a hand on Sarah’s shoulder and leaned in to speak privately in her ear. “Let it ride, li’l sis. It’ll be a couple of years before you can take them on. That’s Melissa Gray, Angelica Roberts and Amy Feingold—real stank Clavs. Don’t let ‘em in your head. They practically grew up here, and they all came from the same besieged compound up north—Boston area. I don’t even mess with them.” Ayana gave a swift nod toward another girl, just as beautiful, who was hanging back. “That’s Melissa’s older sister, Patty.”
The girl that Ayana had pointed out was almost a head taller than her sister, with long auburn hair and cat-green eyes. But there was a gentleness about Patty Gray that the “witches” definitely didn’t possess.
“She’s in my division. Patty’s all right, but her younger sister is a true bitch. So are all the rest of her little bad-girl terror squad. Watch your back in here, boo. I won’t be around all the time. Hip your crew.”
Ayana didn’t have to tell her twice. Sarah allowed her eyes to follow Patty as the last car came bouncing in. Other students were watching the procession of Jeeps, Bradlees, armored cars and Humvees.
With her older cousin nearby, Sarah relaxed and turned her focus to the cars as students started stepping forward, friends and family recognizing each other. Though it was something she’d always known, of course, it had never before struck her how odd it was that unlike the students coming from other compounds, all her compound siblings had been born in the same year and around the same month as she had been—all except Ayana, who was five years their senior and in the top division of Clairvoyants in the Upper Spheres.
Complete chaos filled the courtyard as students rushed about, reuniting. Her own compound sisters were in the midst of the fray, urged forward by Tami to see the new incoming male prospects. The guys from their compound were also lost in the throng, heads pivoting as they ogled the new array of girls.
All of a sudden the sounds, the smells, the brightness, the mind-chatter, seemed too much. Sarah walked a few paces away from Ayana and stepped into a cool shadow cast by the edge of the building. Only then did she feel like she could truly breathe. That was when she looked up, fully focused and finally seeing the totality of the grand structure. This is what my parents built, she thought.
Ayana came over and gave Sarah’s hand a little squeeze, and stared up at the pyramid with her.
“He brought it in from Egypt when I was little,” Ayana said. “Moved an entire pyramid for your mom, and then Atlantis-light cloaked it with the help of all the moms. They’d battled in the Middle East, and your mom was having a fit about the destruction and desecration of the old Kemetian temples and pyramids, so he gave it to her as a present just before she had you guys. Your dad really is a softy inside, Sarah. He adores your mom and you guys.”
Sarah glanced over her shoulder at the man who was barking orders and sorting out chaos a hundred yards away, and then looked back up so far that she thought she’d fall flat on her behind. “I know we learned about this, saw the drawings, but…”
“Seeing it is way different, huh?” Ayana said, then kissed her cheek and left her gaping to go off and find her friends.
“I’ll say,” Sarah murmured, speaking to herself, not Ayana, who was now long gone.
One-hundred-and-twenty-foot-tall Anubis guard statues stood on either side of the monolithic structure, bearing war axes and scythes. She could see alabaster sphinxes poised at the top of what had to be a thousand steps, each facing a cardinal direction. The sheer scale of it was mind-blowing, and Yaya was right, seeing it was way different from being told about it.
Sarah stared up in awe, now that she was closer to the impressive structure. Just like the picture on the ancient dollar bill her father kept in his wallet from before the war, the pyramid was definitely split. Three quarters of it was on the ground, with doors and warrior statues, but the upper capstone really did float on a thick mist or clouds. It was almost impossible to really tell until she got up close to the structure. An all-seeing Egyptian eye practically covered the stones and she stepped back with a short gasp as it blinked again but this time slowly rolled to stare down at her.
“Sarah!” Tami said, grabbing her arm and causing her to jump. “Girl, you are missing everything.” Her girlfriend pulled her away from the building. “What the hell is wrong with you, staring up at some old stone building when you can see pure stone-cut bods getting out of the cars—Oh my God!”
There was nothing to do but laugh as Tami maneuvered them over to an excellent vantage point. Their parents had begun to mill about and talk to the other newly arriving parents, while she and Tami watched with their mouths hanging open as carload after carload of cute boys emerged from her dad’s energy whirl. Finally Sarah saw her father shake out his arms and collapse the funnel, then stretch his back before he rejoined her mother and several of the other Guardians.
“I am going to have to stop talking bad about Uncle Carlos,” Tami said, setting her sights on one particularly cute boy with long, dark dreadlocks.
Sarah laughed. “I might give my dad a free pass myself,” she said, admiring several cute options as they were unloading their luggage. But her mirth faded when she saw Melissa Gray introducing herself to her parents.
This time it was Sarah who grabbed her friend, leaving the rest of the compound crew behind, and then jogged forward just in time to catch Melissa mid-sentence.
“Mr. and Mrs. Rivera, it’s an honor to meet the two Neterus in person. We’ve all heard so much about you and your legendary battles. It must be so exciting to travel around the world. I’ve been here practically all my life, being prepared to become a true Guardian,” Melissa said in a too-charming voice. “And I just want you to know that if there’s anything I can do to assist any of the students from your compound, I’d be only too glad to help.”
Sarah’s eyes narrowed. Not ten minutes ago this chick had given her a look that told her she’d drop her down a demon hole if she ever had the chance, and now she was trying to play Miss Sweetness in front of her parents? No, Sarah knew a deceiver when she saw one. Melissa was beyond fake. Tami cut Sarah a sidelong glance. Apparently her best friend knew a fake when she saw one, too.
“Thank you. We’ll keep that in mind,” Sarah’s mother said coolly.
Her mother gave the girl a civil smile, but it was not lost on Sarah that for the first time that she’d ever witnessed, her mother’s smile contained no warmth. Good. Obviously Mom knew the deal the moment Melissa opened her mouth. Her father smiled, too, but it never reached his eyes.
Suddenly Sarah could see the little shadows that had been hanging back behind the building beginning to slip between the legs of people in the crowd as though trying to get closer to her, yet not too near. The way the sun hit them, she could see they had open mouths and serrated teeth, like a jack o’lantern, and they waved stubby amoebalike arms that stretched and boinged in weird shapes. She almost jumped back, but then she noticed that they seemed to be making faces at Melissa. Whoa…
The most bizarre part of it all was no one else seemed to see a thing. Then again, she’d lived with the phenomenon all her life, so why should today be any different? The little shadows creeped her out, but didn’t scare her badly with everyone all around her. But it was the first time she’d seen her little shadow buddies seem to take offense at someone. They’d never behaved like that when they’d appeared to her at the compound. Yet another sign that Melissa was bad news.
From the corner of her eye Sarah saw her brother headed her way. He was ten yards ahead of the rest of their compound crew. Certain that Al was only coming over to try to talk to Melissa, Sarah body blocked him subtly, so the only place for him to stand was behind her. But before she gave Al her back, she saw how his tongue was practically dragging on the ground. She wanted to kick him, then gave in to the impulse.
“Yo,” Al said, jumping back. “What’s your problem?”
“I need help with my bags,” she lied when her mothe
r raised an eyebrow.
“Then next time ask like a normal person.” Al dusted off his pants leg with a scowl.
“Help your sister,” their father said calmly. It was obvious he was being cool so he wouldn’t embarrass his son.
Tami folded her arms, cocked her head to the side and simply glared at Melissa as Allie and Hyacinth caught up to the group. Al’s boys hung back but stayed near him, watching.
“You must be Sarah,” Melissa said, extending a well-manicured hand. “Welcome to the Academy. You don’t have to worry about the bags—there’s help for that.” She gave Sarah a dismissive smile after she shook her hand and almost laughed in Tami’s face before she turned back to Sarah’s parents, her voice dripping with honey. “It was so nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Rivera. Thank you again for providing us with this haven.” Then she turned and beamed at Alejandro.
If he’d had a tail, it would have been wagging.
“I’m Melissa,” she said with a smile.
Sarah watched her parents exchange a look as their uncle Mike came over.
“Alejandro… but my friends call me Al.”
“Oh, brother,” Sarah muttered.
Melissa looked away shyly. “Then…see you later in assembly, Al.”
With a giggle and a wave, Melissa ran off to rejoin her group. Sarah just shook her head. Her brother practically needed smelling salts to keep from passing out.
“Butt kisser,” Tami muttered.
Sarah just rolled her eyes.
“Daaaayum…” Al said, meeting Miguel’s fist with his own, making Val laugh.
“Whateva,” Tami grumbled.
Sarah’s mother just threw a look heavenward.
“Straight barracuda. That’ll trip you up, son,” her dad said quietly, shaking his head.
“I’ll trip over that any day,” Al said, laughing, and jogged back toward the pack of students who were already beginning to climb the pyramid steps. His compound brothers followed him, laughing and cuffing his shoulder.
“You need to say that louder, Dad,” Sarah muttered under her breath, “so he can get it through his thick head.”
“Yeah, you do, man,” Uncle Mike said to her father and gave him a wink. “You know how you used to roll, G. There must be something you can tell the boy.”
“Not a damned thing,” her father said, and then let out a weary breath. He gave Sarah a sidelong glance. “Stay out of your brother’s business, but don’t let him get played too hard, all right?”
Sarah just stared at her father. Stay out of his business, but don’t let him get played? Be serious. Instant resentment shot through her. The double standard hit her hard, fired her up and made her ears ring. If some boy had come up to her in the yard, her father would have had a fit. But because it was some girl fawning all over his son, it was okay? It wasn’t right. Why did Al get more respect—not to mention leeway—than she did when it came to stuff like this?
She was about to protest the inequity of it all when her mother stepped between them.
“Carlos, leave those kids alone,” her mother said with a wide smile, this time containing its normal radiant warmth. “They have to work through things themselves—it’s called life.”
“Carlos Rivera, as I live and breathe!” a loud, booming male voice called out.
Sarah and Tami turned to look, as Hyacinth and Allie drew closer. A tall, deeply tanned, broad-shouldered man jogged over from one of the newly arrived cars, dropped a designer knapsack on the ground and then confidently strode up to her father. He had on a beige linen suit, a cranberry collarless shirt, and soft leather slip-on shoes. Nothing about him said warrior. His thick salt-and-pepper hair looked freshly barbered, and there was an expression of smug satisfaction in his haughty blue eyes.
But even though the man had hailed her dad like he was a friend, Sarah noticed her father only stepped forward a little. The men were eye-to-eye in seconds, clasping each other by their right forearms in a warrior’s handshake.
“Long time,” her father said, but, oddly, he didn’t smile. He released the man’s arm and stood a little taller.
“Long time, Rivera. You and your lovely wife have to visit Italy soon.” He beamed at Sarah’s mother. “I know we no longer use the old names for the places that once were, but some habits die hard.”
Sarah’s mother offered him a cautious smile in return. “I understand and hate using the new city names too. It seems to give in to their illegitimate power to have restructured the world.”
“Yes, and that’s why we’re all still fighting.” He offered her a slight bow with an even wider grin before looking at Sarah’s father again. “The Mediterranean is beautiful this time of year. Vatican City is almost rebuilt. Resources are plentiful. Way better than the water-logged, burned-out place in that Massachusetts-Connecticut complex I used to own.” Without waiting for her father’s reply, he turned to her mother again, but this time took up her hand. “And of course we’d love to host the legendary huntress. As always, I am honored.”
So this guy was a fake Italian imported from the US mainland? No wonder her father wasn’t feeling him at all. Sarah could sense her father’s energy bristle as she spied the man’s expensive watch, and she looked at the soft leather slip-on shoes and fine linen suit again. What kind of warrior wore that kind of get-up? One thing for sure, the man had airs and was getting under her father’s skin.
“Thank you,” her mother said with an arched eyebrow, and then calmly extracted her hand. “I hear your boy is coming this year.”
“Yes,” the man boasted, sticking out his barrel chest farther. “Wil placed right in on the Varsity track team plus tested strong in dual talent divisions—Tactical and Specials—so the old water dragon finally made up her mind, recognized the boy’s genius and put him in Specials. Then she looked at his scores again and put him right in the Shadows corps.”
“Counselor Zehiradangra,” her mother corrected with a narrowed gaze, ignoring all of the man’s prattle about his son’s accomplishments. “Not ‘the old water dragon.’”
“Perdonarlo, lovely Neteru, I forgot that you are still close to your oracle. I meant no harm, but she is a bit…pazzesco.”
“This is our daughter, Sarah,” her mother said, allowing the slight against her old friend to pass without further comment. “And this is my niece Tami— Jack Rider and Tara’s girl—you’ve met them—and my nieces Hyacinth and Allie. This is Mr. Archer.”
The girls muttered hello, waved with the tips of their fingers and gave the man tight smiles.
“Bella, bella, pleased to meet you, young ladies.” He smiled at her mother again, and then turned away to glance toward the cars. “As soon as Wil gets his gear, I’ll have to introduce you to my boy. Nothing like a son, right, Rivera?”
Sarah almost thought she heard her father growl. As she glanced across the courtyard, trying to figure out which kid could possibly be Mr. Archer’s son, she saw her uncles frowning. Her uncle Jack was chewing a stick the way he always did when he wanted a cigarette in the worst way. Uncle Yonnie’s fangs were showing, and Uncle Mike was rolling his shoulders like he was loosening them up for a heavyweight bout. The rest of her aunts and uncles were passing dirty looks between them. Apparently there was bad blood between this Mr. Archer and her family.
“So, what’s going on with the Rogue-class Guardians who’ve gone missing around town?” Mr. Archer asked. “We all have a right to know, given that there have never been disappearances like this so close to the school. Plus, I heard two students bought it? I also heard that there’s a countrywide dragnet out, since some witches and Fae are missing, too. It’s as if—”
“Michael,” her mother interrupted, glancing around at the girls, “this is a discussion for a sealed area.”
“Right—not in front of the kids,” he said, with an awkward shrug. “But sooner or later they’re going to have to learn to hunt, and that tragedy is just a part of life. Can’t shield them forever. I would have taken Wil on a
demon excursion if I had a lead on where it came from. I take my boy hunting with me all the time. Hell, your kids should be veterans of at least one demon hunt by now, given that they grew up in the Neteru compound.”
“What risks you take with your kid is your business,” her father said through his teeth, eyes changing. “Meanwhile, the situation is under investigation, and we’re coordinating with Guardian teams across the globe.” He gave Archer a pointed look. “We’re not ruling anything out—including Morrigan involvement.”
“Whoa… Morrigan? That’s big,” Archer said. “So does that mean the missing are presumed dead?”
Sarah stopped breathing as she felt her parents’ fears snake through her. Kids had died. They were only looking for bodies now, not the missing. Oh, God! No wonder her parents had been so freaked out at breakfast this morning.
“Now you know exactly why you don’t take untrained kids on a mission like that,” her mother said coolly, without answering his question, and then glanced at the girls. “You don’t take them hunting when you aren’t sure what predator you’re after. As my husband said, it’s still under investigation.”
Archer allowed a smug half-smile to creep onto his face before he cast a look of pity in Sarah’s direction. “Understandable why you wouldn’t take your child on a hunt. My apologies. Again, perdonarlo.”
Quiet tension strangled the group for a few seconds.
“So how’s the rest of your team?” her mother finally interjected.
Archer swept up her mother’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Grazie for asking.”
Sarah’s silent prayer was simple: Dad, don’t start…not here. Even if the guy is a complete jerk. Sarah’s attention bounced between her father, her mother and the interloper who too slowly dropped her mother’s hand. Who was this dude, putting the moves on her mother and grating her father’s nerves? There was definitely some history here.
“There’s my boy,” Michael Archer announced with obvious pride.
The father might have been a self-important windbag, but the son… Oh…my…God, Sarah thought. She couldn’t have looked away if she’d tried.